Tomato Basil Soup

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This classic Roasted Tomato Basil Soup is made with roasted tomatoes, fresh basil, and garlic. Serve a grilled cheese on the side for the ultimate comforting meal!

Roasted Tomato Basil Soup in a bowl with Parmesan cheese and basil

A Favorite Soup

Is there anything better than a bowl of tomato basil soup? It’s one of my all-time favorites! It always hits the spot.  It has fresh, familiar flavors that are universally loved. 

Bring a pot of this Roasted Tomato Basil Soup and grilled cheese ingredients to someone who needs a little cheering up! They’ll be instantly comforted and nourished…just don’t forget to make a double batch so you have enough for yourself, too! 

This soup is great for lunch or dinner and always gets rave reviews! 

Best Tomatoes for Tomato Soup

Use ripe, fresh tomatoes for the best flavor. I love making this soup when garden tomatoes are at their peak. I recommend using Roma or plum tomatoes because they have a meaty texture with very few seeds and have a low water content.

For this recipe, I use three pounds of fresh tomatoes AND a can of San Marzano tomatoes. I like using both for the ultimate tomato flavor. San Marzano tomatoes are sweet and less acidic. The combo of fresh and the best canned tomatoes is perfection! 

Roasted tomatoes for Tomato Basil Soup

How to Roast Tomatoes

Roasting tomatoes is a really simple way to add a delicious depth of flavor to your soup.

  • Wash and halve the tomatoes. You don’t have to peel the tomatoes, the tomato skins will intensify the flavor of the soup. 
  • Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and place the halved tomatoes on top. I also put fresh garlic cloves on the sheet. You don’t need to peel the garlic cloves, you will peel them after. Roasting the garlic brings out the best flavor. 
  • Drizzle olive oil over the top of the tomatoes and garlic. Toss to combine then sprinkle with salt, pepper, and oregano.
  • Roast at 400 degrees F for 45 minutes. The tomatoes will become soft, juicy, and fragrant! Your house will smell amazing! 

Roasted tomato basil soup in pot

How to Make Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

Once the tomatoes are roasted, your soup will come together in a snap!

  • Start with a large stockpot and medium heat. Get a little olive oil warmed, then add chopped onion and sauté until it’s tender. This should only take 3-5 minutes!
  • Add the roasted garlic (skins removed and roughly chopped) and red pepper flakes. Add everything else: roasted tomatoes, canned tomatoes, broth, basil, and thyme. Start with 1 ½ cups of broth and if the soup is too thick after blending, you can always add more.
  • Let it all simmer for 30 minutes.
  • Use an immersion blender to puree the soup to your ideal consistency. Add additional broth if you want a thinner consistency.

Roasted tomato basil soup blended in pot

Blend the Soup

If you have an immersion blender, that’s the easiest and quickest way to blend the soup because you can blend it right in the pot. A blender or food processor works great, too! Make sure you let the soup cool a bit before moving it into the blender!

Carefully transfer the soup into a blender and pulse until it becomes smooth. You may have to do this in batches depending on the size of your blender. 

Tasty Variations

There are a few variations you can consider to really make this tomato soup your own! You may want to add:

  • A splash of heavy cream or coconut milk for a creamy tomato soup
  • A sprinkle of freshly grated Parmesan cheese or feta cheese on top
  • Add cooked crumbled bacon or pancetta to your bowl
  • A drizzle of good olive oil before serving 
  • Croutons or crackers 
  • Garnish with fresh basil, chives, parsley, or thyme. 

Tomato Soup + Grilled Cheese!

In my opinion, you can’t have a bowl of Roasted Tomato Basil Soup without a grilled cheese sandwich on the side. The two are made for each other. I love dunking grilled cheese into a hot bowl of tomato soup. Classic comfort food! Here’s one of my favorite grilled cheese recipes – Roast Broccoli Grilled Cheese.

More Recipes To Try With This Tomato Soup:

Store + Reheat

Place any leftover soup in a container and store in the refrigerator for up to four days. Reheat in the microwave or in a pot on the stove. 

You can also freeze the soup for up to four months. Pour the cooled soup into a freezer container and freeze for up to three months. Defrost and reheat before serving. 

More Soup Recipes

roasted tomato basil soup in bowl with spoon
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Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

You can't go wrong with a bowl of this classic tomato soup! Serve with a grilled cheese for the ultimate comfort food meal.
4.67 from 12 votes

Ingredients
  

  • 3 pounds Roma tomatoes, cut in half lengthwise
  • 8 cloves garlic, unpeeled
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 1 teaspoon fresh oregano leaves
  • Kosher salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • Dash of red pepper flakes
  • 28 ounces San Marzano tomatoes, canned
  • 1 ½ to 2 cups vegetable broth (can use chicken broth)
  • 1 cup freshly chopped basil
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
  • Chopped basil and freshly grated Parmesan cheese for garnish, optional

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the halved tomatoes and garlic cloves on the baking sheet and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Sprinkle with oregano, salt, and black pepper.
  • Place the baking sheet in the oven and roast for 45 minutes until tomatoes are soft and juicy.
  • Remove the roasted garlic from the peels give them a rough chop. Set aside.
  • In a large stockpot, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until tender, about 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes. Add the canned tomatoes, 1 ½ cups of vegetable broth, basil, and thyme. Stir in the oven roasted tomatoes. Let simmer on low for 30 minutes.
  • Use an immersion blender to puree the soup in the stockpot until smooth. If the soup is too thick for your taste, you can add additional broth. If you don’t have an immersion blender, let the soup cool for a few minutes and then carefully transfer to a food processor or blender to blend. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
  • Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with fresh basil and Parmesan cheese, if desired. Serve warm.

Notes

Be careful when transferring hot soup to a blender or food processor. You may want to wait until it is at room temperature to blend.

Nutrition

Calories: 183kcal, Carbohydrates: 22g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 10g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 423mg, Potassium: 980mg, Fiber: 6g, Sugar: 13g, Vitamin A: 2526IU, Vitamin C: 47mg, Calcium: 86mg, Iron: 3mg
Keywords healthy, summer

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Photos by Molly, Yes to Yolks.

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Maria

I'm Maria and my husband is Josh. We share a love of cooking, baking, and entertaining. We enjoy creating recipes that are simple, fresh, and family friendly. We love sitting around the table with good food, good conversation, and good friends and family! Our kitchen is always open!
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  1. Maria this looks awesome. Nordstrom Cafe sells Tomato Soup that looks like this…I bet your version is super close to the soup I crave but don’t exactly go running out to eat at Nordstrom for a bowl of soup. Must try your recipe, asap 🙂

  2. Tomato soup is my favorite kinda soup. I even like it out of a can. Any type of tomato soup, I’ll eat it. Never had it with roasted tomatoes. Sounds amazing!! I’ll have to try that soon. And I’ll remember to put some in the freezer as well.

  3. Tomato soup and grilled cheese is our go-to dinner for a busy night or when we can’t think of anything for that night…and it’s always a hit with everyone. Total comfort food. This soup looks wonderful and I love the texture and the addition of basil and garlic.

  4. well, you just single handedly convinced me to get an immersion blender for christmas. or sooner 🙂

  5. I just made a tom basil soup and it’s divine… love that you roasted the tom beforehand… it prob adds a nice level of smokiness!

  6. This looks delicious, Maria! I must admit that roasting tomatoes DID sounds a bit time-consuming to me, but you make it sound so easy! So glad you guys are adjusting well to being parents. 🙂

  7. Looks so good! I have a Blendtec (based on your rec and I love it!) would you recommend the “soup” button or would it puree it to thin?

    1. Glad you love your Blendtec. You can use the soup button. Just puree it to the consistency you like. I like to leave a few chunks for texture, but if you prefer a smooth soup, puree it to thin. Enjoy!

  8. I second Lori @ RecipeGirl – nothing beats tomato soup with grilled cheese ^_~

    Isn’t it amazing how much Baby can change your life? We used to be organized and scheduled – Baby has other ideas. If it was anyone or anything else you’d be annoyed/upset that your life is being disrupted. But for that little one, who looks up and smiles (smiling yet?) you’d do anything for them. Enjoy him!

  9. Your baby is beautiful! Congrats on becoming parents 🙂 This soup sound delicious and a perfect use of my late season bounty of tomatoes, too. Question: Do you peel the tomatoes or just puree them and the skins into the soup? It looks wonderful!

  10. mmmm Roasted Tomato Basil Soup is one of my favorites! We make Pepperoni and grilled cheese sandwiches with ours. Yum!

  11. This is such a classic and always so welcome at the end of a long, tiring day. Glad to hear that the “little pea” is doing great and you’re all adjusting!

  12. I promise, you will get back into the kitchen! I just had my first little one a year ago, and the first three months of her life I was convinced I would never cook again. But alas, we have found a “new normal” and I have been back in action for the past 9 months. I have learned to adapt my baby life into my cooking life and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I do most of my baking and cooking when she’s napping or has gone to bed. Housework can wait! 😉
    I am a new reader to your blog and totally loving it! You’ve got great recipes, great writing and a very very cute little babe.

  13. I have been wanting to try a soup like this. Tomato basil is my favorite soup of all time and I always thought roasting the tomatoes would be delicious. Thanks for the recipe!

  14. Tomato soup is my favorite! Sounds like you all are adjusting to your new life wonderfully 🙂

  15. Go-with-the-flow is definitely the name of the game once you become a parent! Good thing you had this in the freezer…looks delicious!

  16. Glad to hear that your little one is doing well! Soup is always a great meal that you can make ahead – a big help when you’re a new parent! It’s also a great way to welcome autumn. (And nothing is quite as comforting as Tomato soup, right?)

  17. Having a routine is TOUGH! The little one always wants to dictate how things are done 😉 That soup looks GREAT! I love tomato soup too. And grilled cheese is the perfect side

  18. I am a new big fan of your blog. I have tried a handful of things so far, and have yet to be disappointed. In fact, everything has been a whopping success! This soup was no exception. We loved loved loved it. I’m going to have to think twice before ordering tomato basil soup at restaurants from now on, because I don’t know how it could have gotten any better. We ate it with the pumpkin cornbread recipe we found on this website (which is my husband’s new favorite food, period). I’m looking forward to freezing the left overs of this meal and eating it again on the next cold and rainy day. Thanks for posting, even though life with a new baby is anything but predictable!!

  19. I wish I’d had a bowl of this soup for lunch today – it was cold and rainy here so it would have been perfect!

  20. I just made this soup this evening with a round grilled cheese sandwich that I plan to post tomorrow on my blog. I guess it’s just that time of year. With it freezing cold and raining here today hot soup and sandwich hits the spot.

    Your tomato basil soup looks wonderful!

  21. This is great for this cold season. Thanks for sharing your recipe. Caleb looks adorable by the way.

  22. I recently made a soup almost exactly like this and the one ingredient I wished I had on hand was fresh basil 🙂 Next time, for sure! I agree, roasting the tomatoes is totally key!

  23. I love this! It’s my favorite type of soup. I can’t wait to make this. Thanks for sharing 🙂

  24. I have several reasons for trying this recipe…I adore tomato soup, I just bought The Hubby and I new soup bowls I want to use and last but not least I never use my immersion blender and I really should!

  25. There’s just nothing quite like a warm bowl of tomato soup and a grilled cheese. Yours looks perfectly textured and delicious.

  26. Brilliant idea freezing this before that little bundle of joy came into your world. It looks so vibrantly fresh, and pairing it with a grilled cheese sandwich sounds dreamy.

  27. I love tomato soup! Oh the days of organization and schedules! I miss those. The things I used to accomplish, LOL!

  28. I just made this for lunch and boy is it going down well! My picky 11 yr olds love it. Thankfully. I jazzed it up a notch by floating a gruyere laden crouton on top. Yum!

  29. you know I just love the smell of basil, freshly ripped/sliced to garnish into hot tomato soup. It just makes me feel so good. I’m going to print this recipe; I need to make this for winter. I hate winter but this might make me smile.

  30. I’ve come across a lot of people freezing soups this fall. I’m always freezing tomato sauce so I don’t know why I haven’t done it with soup as well. Such a good idea for a quick meal. I’m a big tomato soup fan and like how this one has something a little extra to make it unique.

  31. Beautiful soup Maria! I love tomato soup and there is something about it that makes it so comforting.
    I hope you are enjoying your little guy!

  32. Oh my goodness – I just made this and it tastes truly amazing! I never in my life thought I could make a soup that tastes this good. Thank you so much for sharing your recipe.

  33. Your soup, and some grilled ham & cheese sandwiches are going to be Halloween dinner for my family. I’m planning to make it tonight while I have time, and reheat tomorrow for a quick dinner before all that trick or treating (3 kids; 7,9 & 12). Thanks for sharing this!

  34. I’m a few weeks behind, but this has been on my radar! Finally have my big pack of Costco romas, and will roast the tomatoes the same night I make roasted root veggies to go with stewed beef. Saw on a grilled cheese blog (Grilled Cheese Social) to use shredded cheese and poke holes in your bread so the cheese oozes out and gives you a crusty-toasty-cheese exterior, too! Beats my trick of sprinkling parm on the outside. … and to think when I was a kid it was all about Campbell’s condensed tomato and velveeta… lol

  35. Please post a warning on using a blender to blend the soup after it has cooled, blending it well hot caused the blender top to exploded off and splattter hot soup all over my face which caused 2 nd degree burns. I would have not used the blender if I knew that it was dangerous.

  36. I’ve made this soup a few times now, and made it for my parents today. My Dad’s opinion? “If you got this in a restaurant you’d be raving about it. Delicious.”

    P.s. I find adding 1 tbsp tomato puree after the garlic and a few mini bell peppers (red) with the tinned tomatoes adds extra depth to the flavour.

    Thank you so much for this recipe, I’ll definitely be using it again.

  37. I wonder if you could roast the onion and garlic with the tomatoes…any thoughts or experience with this option?

  38. i skimmed the 92 previous comments, so please forgive if this was already posted, but may i ask why the canned tomatoes? if you’ve already used fresh tomatoes, why add the canned? and may i substitute them with fresh? thank you!

  39. I’ve only just discovered Two Peas and Their Pod, but I am hooked! The variety and creativity of your recipes are awesome! Anyway, made this soup last night and it was a big hit. One question…Do you seed your tomatoes? I didn’t and didn’t enjoy the texture of the seeds in what was otherwise a pretty smooth soup. However, I also couldn’t find Romas, so maybe that was the problem?

  40. so I’m leaving town tomorrow and I had like 4 tomatoes left over. So I decided to make soup and put it in the freezer for a future day. I finished the soup and it smelled so good that I had to eat a bowl. Such a good simple soup! 🙂

  41. Just tried this the other night and LOVED it. I’m not a big fan of tomatoes but I have always loved tomato soup, so I was worried that I wouldn’t like the consistency. It tasted great though! I will definitely be making this again in the future, and maybe even making some in advance so I can freeze it. Thanks for the great recipe!

  42. I just made this and it came out great!! The only change I made was that I added 1 cup of parmesan cheese to the soup and then sprinkled a little on top of each bowl and it made the soup a bit creamier. Thanks for your recipe, this will definitely stay in my cook book! 🙂

  43. I am a newbie cook and have never made soup before. I just tried your recipe and it turned out great! It was super easy and tastes awesome. Thanks for posting!

  44. I would like to subscribe to your list and receive your recipes by email. How do I do that? I do not do those other things you list.
    Thanks.
    Chris

  45. The soup looks great. I am a big fan of Tomato soup, infact thats the only one i take. This variation is new to me and will try soon.

  46. if i don’t have time to roast the tomatoes what can i do instead of that? add an extra can of diced tomatoes? or two more? thanks in advance for reply.

  47. Have made this soup a couple of times now as per the recipe with the exception that I roast the onions and garlic with the tomatoes in the oven and it’s amazing! Thank You!! Making it tonight though and thought I had a can of diced tomatoes and don’t. Making it without but wondering what it adds to the soup….With all the tomatoes in it already what does the can add?

  48. Delicious soup! I just made it last night without deviating from the recipe. Great for lunch at work today. However, it has a bit of a spicy kick for me so the next time I make it, I will omit the red pepper flakes.

  49. This looks so yummy, I can’t wait to try it! A question – why do you use canned diced tomatoes instead of just using extra fresh tomatoes? Thanks!

  50. 3 stars
    This was absolutely delicious. It was a bit runny (and I used 3 pounds of  tomatoes!). So next time I may drain the canned tomatoes and/or use less broth. 

  51. 5 stars
    I love this soup! So easy to make and it’s delicious. This year I made it with tomatoes and basil I grew myself…tastes even better for some reason! Making my second batch today to freeze and enjoy during the winter.

  52. 4 stars
     What a great soup! I made it as directed although I didn’t have Roma tomatoes I had vine ripened tomatoes and they seem to work very well. I was a little heavy handed on the red pepper flakes which made it really spicy  but still absolutel delicious.

  53. 5 stars
    I don’t even like tomato soup, I was making this for My Wife and tasted it and I can’t get enough of it. It’s delicious!

  54. 5 stars
    Delicious! I followed the recipe closely, except that I omitted the red pepper flakes, and added a splash of half & half at the end to make it a little bit creamy. It was very good and easy to make.

  55. 5 stars
    I have been looking for a homemade tomato soup recipe for a long time. This one is wonderful and well worth the effort. I used home-grown regular tomatoes, not romas, and removed a lot of the seeds, but didn’t fuss too much about that. And I left the skins on. I first used my immersion blender to smooth out the soup, but I found that to get the soup really smooth, so you aren’t chewing your soup, I used a blender. The result was perfect. The recipe is a keeper.